Gun primer mechanism



Dec. 28, 1948. R, QLNER v 2,457,266

GUN PRIMER MEGHANISM 4 v Filed, July 2o, 1945 s sheeshsheet 1 nvenfor Dec.A 28, 1948. J, R. OLIVER GUN PRIMER'MECHANI'SM '5 shets-sheet 2 Filed July 20, 1945 IIJII.

Invenfor Jhn R. Oliver v By 7u`A ormey Dec. 2s, 1948.

r.1. R. OLIVER GUN PRIMER MECHANISM s shets-sheet 3 Filed July 20, 1945 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 GUN ram/isn MECHANISM s John R. Oliver, Beverly, Mass., assigner to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Y Application July 2o', 1945, serial No. 606,048

8 Claims.

This invention relates to primer mechanisms of ordance in which projectiles are separate from the powder charge as distinct from ordnance using Xed ammunition.

With medium or larger size guns using separate loading ammunition, the breech member must be provided with some means of preventing powder gases from passing to the rear intothe threads and other accurately made parts of the breech mechanism. The erosive power of such gases is such that a gun would soon be rendered useless if a sealing means were not made eiective. However, such sealing means must afford a passage for the ame of the primer to pass through the powder charge of the gun.` The invention is more especially, although not exclusively, intended for use as a primer mechanism to be mounted upon a breechblock carrier, the latter being adapted to support the breechblock in both swinging and rotative motion during opening Vand closing of the breech. In such an installation, the breechblock is provided with an obturator (of the De Bange type) having an axial vent for the primer ilame and the rear portion of the obturator vent necessarily has associated therewith a primer mecha-- nism which is as reliable, convenient and close fitting as possible in operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved primer mechanism as a complete unit which may be mounted on a breechblock carrier in which mechanism a single swing of an operating handle will positively and firmly enclose a primer in position for ring. I v Y Another object is to provide an improved structure for ejection of the primer shell from a primer holder that is retained in firing position.

Still another object is to provide a positive lock as a safety device to prevent untimely movement of the firing pin while the primer mechanism operating handle is actuated or the breechblock is moved.

Another object is to provide parts of the primer' mechanism which are so formed as to facilitate the insertion of a new primer, whereby such primer may be subsequently pressed home into ring position by the operation of the primer mechanism.

For the purposes in view and in accordance with various features of the invention, the illustrated mechanism is shown in fixed association with an obturator and breechblock carrier of conventional type. A feature of the invention consists in an inner and outer block arrangementv within a frame which is easily demounted from the obturator and carrier, the block arrangement firing position. Another feature is the provision of a curved wedge for operating the prmer shell ejector. Another feature consists in the novel arrangement for positively locking the ring pin in a position away from the primer until deliberately released by Operation of the firing mechanism. Still another featurer consistsinthe partsv of the primer mechanism which cooperate to vform a trough by means of which insertion ofM a new primer is facilitated. `1

The above and other features of the'inventio'n, including novel details of yconstruction and coin-A binations of parts, will now be more *particularly` described in connection withv they accompanying" drawings and pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings, f

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partially in section, ofthe I' primer mechanism as installed on 'a' gun withlaf conventional breechblock and obturator;` y

Fig. 2 isv an elevational View of the primer mechanism shown in Fig. 1;'

Fig 3 isa left side Viewv of Fig'."2 in Fig. 4 is a sectional viewalong the line 'IV-IVN ofrigo;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through parts primer mechanism casing with other in full and dotted lines clearly to show of operation; u

Fig. 6 is a plan View partially the line V'I--VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view along the line\'VI I-'f'f.

VII of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 isa sectional View similar to that of 4 but showing-the parts in positionsassumed fori' receptionof anew primer;

Fig. 9 is a plan View of theparts shown-fin 8; and

isf". thff parts shown.;k the theory;

in section along? elevation; l

Fig. 10 is a perspectivefview for purposes/'of I' clarity, drawn to a reduced'scale,` of ablockgused:

in the mechanism.

In medium or larger size guns it is well *knownl to use* an obturatorjwith a breechblock Il) and aA gun tube, II as shown in Fig. 1 which obturatorJ comprises a' steel mushroom headV I2 against which the force of the explosion longitudinally to the gun is exerted, a resilient or elastic pad I4, l

split rings I5, a steel disc I6, anda v spindleflr8-` The spindle of an obturator of this type is fitted within the breech block I0 and pressure ofyv'the gases against the mushroorrihead I2 upon"ring`- compresses the elastic pad I4 and furtherl 'presses/ the split rings l5 surrounding the spindle'again'stf the walls ofthe bore thus effectuallyv preventing-, 1

`lare conventionally* 3 mounted to rotate independently of the obturator parts and, because of this, any sticking oan obturator to its seat in the gun tube II will not interfere with the rotation of the block I when opening thelbreech. After proper rotation of a breechblock ||l to disengage the usual interrupted threads I9, the block IG and obturator may be readily withdrawn yfrom the gun tupe II. n obturator 1spindle 'I8' ofithis type is proyided with a vent 20 passing through its full length, permitting passage of a ame from a primer 22 tn the powder charge in the gun. A sleeve forms a pintle upon which the breechblock mayrotte' and this sleeve 24 forms a partfof'the breechhlcck carrier 25 which supportsthe Ybreechblol: io"r` movement into and away from the gun. The spindle I8 is keyed at 23 to the pintle 2 5 prevent ing the spindles rotation. A 'hlic'al' spi D V25 serves to hold the obturator firmly in plac within the breechblock It) andfs located in a recess oi' tile sleeve2 slltroundine spindle i8 and bear-- ingeeeinst an. in cited primer. mechanism, ndttiollla: one disclosed beine generally in.- dionted. ae in Eile. 1- Ellle primer mechanism Zlf speisen of embodies. tliesnloiect metter or this invention and. will be described;

The. piirnel: mechanism 28. comprises. an exterior noxzliite freine 39. nenne a cylindrical ocation il. (Fics. 1, e., and 9). adapted to .extend in. clase. fitting .relation with the recede oi sleeve l24 (Fig. 1) and having a' Vslioulderr, 3tldeeinet spring Zlrnay bear. Interrnpted ndnllelieal elelnents iii (with no. lead) plo ided the. oxlindrionlportion 3.2 to engege. ,tn and dieeneaee from. cooperating inten rdpted on the endoicntnrator. spindle I8. A hollow exterior threaded A4|) is SQteWedr/ithin the :portion i2( and one 42 tllelf. id @Pied td @but the end ,of ohturator. Spindle e no eltlre stonas. interrupted elemente, i6 .have no. lead, shoulder, or. end'42. serves as a Stop determining, tine position of ille Binner lneollenifeni "n.otn before and. after the elemente i@ die.. engaged 4.o elsoiselres asa supporting means for a cylindrical plug Illllller. 9.1.1 Dinale. @i which' is. noted to. Serve ne a." didine oli' teteining. Ineens. to tlie. primer 2-2; and. intended et iotett. to. the. spindle. The box-like frame 30 has an u pstandille lleneexlli the. petition. ot willen isdetelsrnined on the gun with respect vto the primer-opening, brv .Stull 4t e e., land invntnln de frame 3U are supported two juxtaposed blocks all Pieds 5|! and an. oilternlookdl nth attentat. to rotate. to, e limited non-rotative pin 54 mounted 1in the cas/ing 3Q and nele-tn e Set detenuti @Eid-.lil n handle 56Y is'arranged to swing upon the pin 5Q`and integral. with ine needle. e. nlete et to which tee. euftei. niiet 5.2. le. ettaoned et ineens ofnolts. 60.' The outerblock 52 swings I 62. and. 9A, fonned inthe freine. dindin 50; ie Slidetli enedeed bil. Sie 'noQK-.Snened dan oi'rthf outer. h 'i 5;2'f(see Figs, 3i `4 hd 6:). The 5.6 nroyid with "ne, bern. intfleili nnnin't-neess ,G adaptent@ @nenne e plete. *it ed.-

e lsill; 1@ ot theh het d lientY ills-.tatie n Ineens. oi f 83., Hillel 3.- d' l to" .es the lntoli'l. into .latentes Position The inne; block. Y5.0. is. nroyided eviti-1` a'nn jwhidh is adapted to travel. alone enmedslnt 5.2 fnrined in 'e vertical norman S4 (Eis. 5.). oithle tesine 30..

deeifege.. allonte no d dpenft. neneneinbeni by, 8.2; end ein assembly..

ntch' |1`0`at the bottom of which is at all times 4 The portion 94 is actually a thickened continuation of the ange 46. It is to be noted that the left-hand slat 92 (as viewed in Fig. 4) has a rather short radius of curvature with a center on the longitudinal center line of inner block 50. A right-hand slot 96 is so curved as to be concentric with the pin 54. Attached to the plate 56 py vscrews 91 is a shelf plate 98 having a peculiar conguration, as shown in Fig. 4, and adapted to be rotated with and by the handle 5E. The inner block 50 is provided with a rearward extending projection having a surface 08 as clearlyA snwn in Fig. 10. A @over plate m2 is Eillhefto the casing 3Q by screws i, |06 and 108' (Fig. Zlfnd Said plate |02 has a V-shaped concentric with the center of the primer open- 'showiinFig 2. Plate |02 joins and bracetlieA two sides of the casing 3U. The ejector lever |20 is mounted on a pivot |22 and it is creed .oounterolockwise around this pivot by n curved lnger on wedge |26! which .is adapted to with .the parte .Carried by the `handle 56. The curvature of finger "|25 is Such 'that nnen the surface of the iinger 2.4 Contacte tlieeieotor lever 'Z9 upon lowering of the handle 5in pllll is imparted to the primer Snell by the eieotorleyer .dite the. two loleelie 5.0. dnd .i2 lle-ile indi/.ed ier enough. down to. free the primer Snell,

n eneoialeaiety lever '28. lFieS- 3l Send 10) ie Rroiided with d tor-lied end |39 which engages e e Ove in the firing nin 9.32.? these parte beine lilith-i the inner block 5.0'- Tnie level;

@if 1S. nwoltedt f3.4 on. tneinner bloot' 5.9. and is. lle-,isi in its oneretive. Petition by the engagefllellt therewith Qi e llllllll). '.l which is Pint of iefflrine ineellenlee. .eliownin Fie- 5 eli within the. outer block 2- lneelieneln Committee e lien-nner H0 .ooliiviee diteeltidn in Fie- 5 by e vertiy. dispos-ell infine liliieidly eenneeted met "lll to @otk it end tllen idee-ee 14.4. liti/inde .Shoulder nottion 'it een t." b,1iie 'one finder of; a V-enened Ri. ed memb The member I4? is pivoted on tlendiof'a 'arm 15,11, (which is adaptedto nate wen nnnliti and nid ern In n ne' lernl l?? nenne abellich engages a notch |54 in lanyard |5l A leaf n |69 1s ed'to bias the member HI8` upwardor coun elockwisie, about its pit/fot, as viewed in Eig. 5.` The l ani is biased toward the'eiinbi resilient Inernbei |62. mounted with: m adpndine' nef-lion 'il oi tesine et inni ni' t. .genen ln, nein vendons n ne 5` a pf lon :the lv nyard, |53 will remove the hump actda'e'd by shaped lower.. en

beim totathammif'lever um c'dunrlock- Eig, 5. against .the compression off spring en. ninna@ nele-Lef in. man ent outwardly. ol the lanyard, lwillcause m ,l I j y the. shoulder lklbl with the regedit 'that Sonne, iii, will el tlle. nennen la into enga ement with the firing pin |32. and` ful- Iijvilglte, the, primer 22. Care= must betaken that di'. nieve! egt di the firing 'nin ie not greet elio gh to dent the primer. more. than 2Ov thousan th of aninch. lZ-f` theinoyenient isv greater una k than "thllsfitfv/,illfloreali` a hole. through theA casing oftlie nil. er oattiide and nroyide en Opportunity. fla; ienne@ of.- tne. gas. acer, the. nnng. of

, tne mainonarge, It will be. understood that attr-gees:

l the handle 56 but the inner block 50 swings down at a slower rate due to the engagement of the pin During the rst part ofthe' 90 in the slot 92. downward movement of inner block 50' it'tilts slightly from the position shown' in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 4. During this time, however, the inner block U undergoes a very considerable movement out and up from the outer block 52 within the guides 66 and 68 of the outer block 52 and also ou-t or rearward from the primer 22,

and this movement continues -until the pin 90 has* reached the position shownI in Fig. 4. Further downward movement ci the lever 56 causes 'the curved nger |24 to urge the ejector lever E20 rearward and forcibly eject the primer shell past the two blocks 50 and 52 and from the piece. It is to be understood that a considerable force (about 150 pounds or over) is required to dislodge a spent primer from the plug 411. As can be seen in Fig. 3 the curved fing-er l2tl is so formed that the ejector lever I2!) may be moved out slowly with great force as handle 56 is moved downwardly and then a shoulder H25 serves -t-o give a sharp outward fling of lever 120 in order to throw the primer shell out as the parts reach the positions shown in Fig. 3. When the lever 55 is in its lowermost position the inner .block 50 will bc in the position las shown in Fig 8 and it is to be noted that plate 98 and shelf l cooperate with the V shaped notch H0 to facilitate the insertion of a new primer shell. The new primer shell is rmly forced home into ring position by the wedge action of the -out-er block 52 upon lthe inner block 50 as the handle 56 is again moved up into latched position. The inner block 50 approaches its position adjacent the block i4 (Fig. 6) and engages the primer with a flat surface and leaves no chance for a point contact or cam action upon the primeri. e.-the block 50 engages the primer fully and firmly.

When a primer mechanism 28, constructed as disclosed herein, is to be assembled in association with a breechblock lil, the cylindrical portion 32 of the primer mechanism casing 3B is inserted Within the recess of the breechblock carrier sleeve 24 against the compression of spring 26 until stopped by the end 42 of the nut 130 meeting the end -of the obturator spindle i8. The interrupted nonhelical elements 35 are divided lon-- gitudinally of the spindle I8 into plain and grooved sectors and they permit relaitve axial movement of portion 32 and spindle I8. The primer mechanism 28 is then turned to lock the portion 32 and spindle I 8 together by means of vthe elements 3'6 and stud 48 (Fig, 2) is inserted -to hold the parts in their assembled positions on the breechblock. Full engagement of the elements 36 may be assured as the obturator spindle I8 is nonrotatively keyed to the sleeve .213.

Having described my invention, what I claim .as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A primer mechanism for ordnance including 'a demountable frame with means for attaching the sameto a breechblock carrier and obturator and containing outer and inner blocks holding the firingpin and hammer operating mechanism, a handle pivoted to said frame for angularly slidirllg: the. outer block relatively ,1to"tlie frame andi' inner block Iand in one plane, and guiding means'I on the outer block 'extending in a second plane and constituting a wedge engagingthe innerblock whereby a'sli'ding n'riovement'of the outer.

block may guide the inner block toward or'away from a primer plug of said obturator.

f 2. A primer mechanism for ordnance including' a-v demounta-ble frame with means for attaching' the same to an obturator spindle, means' within said frame 'for retaining a primer in ringv position, saidmean-s including a plug for holding said primerv and two-juxtaposed blocks carrying a firing pin'and hammer mechanism, both blocks being slidable in said frame, on-e of said blocks being guided and wedged by the other block to press the primer into said plug, motion of the blocks frame.'

13.1'Aprimer mechanism for ordnance'includingI a demountable frame with means for attaching the same to an obturator spindle, means within said fra-me for retaining a primer in ring position, said means including a plug for holding said primer and two juxtaposed blocks carrying a firing pin and hammer mechanism, both blocks being slidable relative to each other in said frame, one of said blocks being guided by the other block to press the primer into said plug, a handle for moving the blocks within the frame, an ejector member mounted on said frame to engage the primer in the plug, and a wedge member movable with said blocks to operate the said ejector member.

4. A primer mechanism for ordnance including a demountable frame with means for attaching the same to a breechblock and carrying means for holding a primer in firing position, an inner block carrying a firing pin and an outer block carrying a hammer operating mechanism, said outer block being pivotally mounted on the frame and having guiding means for pressing home the primer by means of the inner block, said frame having a movable member arranged to trip the hammer operating mechanism, and a locking Imeans associated with said firing pin arranged to be inoperative upon tripping movement of the movable member.

5. A primer mechanism for ordnance including a demountable frame with means for attaching the same to a breechblock and carrying means for holding a primer in firing position, an inner block adjacent to said holding means and carrying a, ring pin, an outer block separated from said holding means by said inner block and carrying a hammer operating mechanism, said outer block being pivotally mounted on the frame and having guiding means for wedging home the primer by means of the inner block, and latching means for holding the two blocks in wedged relation against the primer in said holding means.

6. A primer mechanism for ordnance including a demountable frame with means for attaching the same to an obturator spindle, means within said frame including a plug with an opening for holding said primer, and two blocks mounted independently of said plug and carrying a ring pin and hammer mechanism, both blocks being slidable relative to each other in said frame to expose the primer opening and having cooperating surfaces formin-g a trough leading to the primer opening while the latter is exposed.

7. A primer mechanism for ordnance using separate loading ammunition, said mechanism being imparted by a handle pivoted 'to saldi mluding slmquratabl irme. onahmcql im? am@ 11 am! mid; Guter bloei; being-- formed to. .exert a gg;

wig@- @Qm .Qn the mxerf block. -to actualise the,

REFERENCES mm1v The following references are of record- 11,1' the le of this patent:

UmmnislATEs PATENTS. 

